Feed-valve for air-brake apparatus.



s. G. NEAL. H559 VALVEfOR AIR'BRAKE APPARATUS. v

' 7 APPLICATION FILEDFEB. I5.!9I5. 1,162,383.

, 3- $1 *3 8 WITNESSES: j 1 e I5 INVENTOR $221 wok/ms. j

I Patented Nov. 30,- 1915.

SPENCER G. NEAL, LOS ANGELES,

AND AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF CALIFORNIA.

CALIFORNIA, ASSIG-NOR TO CALIFORNIA VALVE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF FEED-VALVE FOR AIR-BRAKE APPARATUS.

Application filed February 15, 1915. Serial No. 8,231. I

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SPENCER G. NEAL, 3. citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F eed-Valves for Air-Brake Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an automatically operating feed valve by means of which a predetermined pressure may be maintained in the train pipe, said feed valve being adapted for use with the usual engineers brake valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve adapted to feed air from the main reservoir into the train pipe to maintain a predetermined pressure therein,'the air from the main reservoir opening the inlet valve when the train pipe air is below the desired pressure; and wherein the main reservoir air will closethe inlet valve when the train pipe air is at the desired pressure.

This feed valve maybe used in other apparatus than air brakes, and while I have described it as being particularly adapted for use in air brake apparatus I desire it understood that I am not to be in any way limited in the use of the device.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a vertical central section of the valve, showing the inlet valve closed; Fig. 2 a similar view showing the inlet valve open; and Fig. 3 a detail plan view of the pilot valve.

Referring to the various parts by numerals, 1 designates the main body of the valve which consists oftwo sections, an upper section 2 and a lower section 3, the lower section 3 carrying the valve which controls communication between the main reservoir and the train pipe chamber within the valve casing. The two sections be connected together in any suitable manner, and said sections clamp between them the valve operating diaphragm 4, said diaphragm forming the upper wall of a train pipe chamber and the lower wall of a valve closing chamber 6., The chamber 6 is formed in the lower part of the section 2, and the train pipe chamber 5 is formed in the'upper part of section 3. That part of the diaphragm 4 which separates the chambers 5 and 6 from each other is circular and is so constructed that it vibrates to a limited Specification of Letters Patent.

of the valve may Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

ex ent in response to variations in pressures in the train pipe chamber and in the valve closing chamber.

The main reservoir supply pipe 7 is con nected to the section 3 of the casing below the d1aphragm 4 and -is in communication through a passage 8 with a main reservoir supply chamber 9 formed by cap 10 secured to the bottom of the casing. The section 3 is provided at its lower end with a bushing 11 whose upperend forms a seat for a downwardly seating inlet valve 12. The diaphragm 4 is clamped between two plates or disks 13 and 14., the lower one 14 being provided with a depending stem 15 which passesthrough a. spider wall 16 and engages the upper surface of the valve 12. The plate 14 is also formed with an upwardly extending central stud 17 on which is threaded the upper clamping plate 13. The upper end of the stud 17 is adapted to contact with a fixed stop to limit the upward movement of the diaphragm, as will be more fully hereinafter described.

In the upper end of section 2 of the valve casing is formed a. controlling chamber 18, the upper wall of said chamber being formed by a controlling diaphragm 19, said diaphragm being held in .place by a clamping ring 20. This ring is forced downwardly and held in place by the base portion of an upwardly extending cup 21 secured to the top of the casing section 2. A plunger 22 rests on the upper side of the controlling diaphragm and said plunger is formed with a depending, central, threaded stud 23 on which is screwed a lower clamping plate 24 which forms a support for the under side of the controlling diaphragm. In the cup 21 and surrounding the upwardly extending stem 25 of the plunger 22 is a controlling spring 26, the pressure of said spring on the plunger being regulated byan adjustable.

cap 27 which is threaded in the upper end of the cup 21. It is manifest that by adjusting thiscap in the cup the pressure of the spring 26 on the plunger 22 may be varied as desired.

In the section 2 of the valve casing between the controlling chamber 18 and the valve closing chamber 6 is formed a pilot valve chamber 28, and in this chamber is mounted a. double-seated pilot valve 29, the upper end of which is adapted to rest on valve seat 30, the lower end being adapted to come to rest on valve seat 31. This pilot valve is formed with an upwardlyextending angular stem 32 which extends upwardly through a port 33. This valve is also formed with a depending angular stem-34 which fits within a downwardly extending port 35. Port 33 opens into the controlling'chamber and is closed when the pilot valve rests on valve seat 30. Port 35 communicates through passage 36 with the main reservoir supply pipe 7. Pilot valve chamber 28 is in communication with the valve closing chamber 6 through passage 37 and port 38 formed in a cap 39 located within the valve closing chamber, said cap forming a stop to limit the upward movement of the valve closing diaphragm 4. The controlling chamber 18 is in communication with the train pipe chamber through passage 40 so that train pipe pressure will be almost instantly registered in the controlling chamber. While air pressure from the main reser-- voir supply will unseat valve 12 and the pilot valve 29 I prefer to employ light springs to insure the positive opening of these valves. Spring 41 assists in unseating the pilot valve from seat 31; and sprin 42 assists in unseating the inlet valve 12, rom its seat.

In operation the cap 27 is set to bring the required controlling pressure on the plunger'22. This pressure depresses controlling diaphragm l9iand also seats the pilot valve 29 on the valve seat 31, thereby shutting oil" main reservoir air from the valve closing chamber 6. Main reservoir air opens valve 12 and flows into the train pipe through the train pipe chamber. From the train pipe chamber air flows through port 40 into the controlling chamber and registers therein the train pipe pressure. When this pressure is sufiicient to raise the controlling diaphragm pilot valve 29 will be moved up wardly to the valve seat 30 by main reservoirvair and the spring 41, thereby opening communication between passage 36 and the valve closin chamber 6 through port 35, pilot valve 0 amber 28, passage 37 and port 38. Pressure will then be built up in chamber 6 sufiicientto overcome the train pipe chamber pressure, whereupon the valve closing diaphragm 4 will be depressed and valve 12 will be'closed. Said valve will be held closed until the pressure in controlling chamber 18 is reduced sufiicientlyto permit the controlling diaphragm 19 to be again depressed. As soon as this takes place valve closing chamber 6 will be vented into the train pipe through pilot valve chamber 28, port 33 and thecontrolling chamber, thereby permitting the valve 12 to be again opened by the main reservoir pressure and spring 42.

From the foregoing it is manifest that I provide a feed valve wherein the inlet Valve is opened by main reservoir pressure, and is closed by main reservoir pressure when the train pipe air has reached the desired pressure. A valve operating as described will be very positive both in its opening and closing movements.

ling chamberto insure the proper pressure in the train pipe before the inlet valve is closed. I also consider it of great advantage to employ a pilot valve under the control of the train pipe pressure and serving 'to admit main reservoir air to the valve closing chamber for the purpose of closing the inlet valve. By this means the inlet valve is positively and instantly closed the moment the train pipe air in the controlling chamber is at the desired pressure. lhere are other advantages resulting from the construction and operation of the valve as described herein but I do not deem it necessary to further state these advantages herein.

lVhile I have described my valve as especially applicable for use in connection with air brake apparatus it will, of course, be understood that it may be used for other purposes and in other apparatus where a valve for feedin fluid under pressure is desired. It will a so be understood that the chamber 9 is an inlet chamber connected with a source of supply through the pipe 7; and that the train pipe chamber is an outlet chamber connected to the controlling chamber through the passage 40. The train pipe 7 may lead the reduced pressure to any desired place and for any purpose. I desire it also understood that while I have shown and described the movable abutments 4 and 19 as diaphragms they may be in any desired or suitable form and construction. I am, therefore, not to be limited in the use of the valve or in the details of construction thereof.

The valve. closing diaphragm is of larger diameter than the inlet valve so that the said two parts have differential pressure areas; By this means the pressure from the source of supply may be utilized to close the inlet valve against the supplv pressure because of the larger area of the diaphragm 4.

WhatI claim is:

A fluid feeding valve comprising a casing formed with an inlet chamber, an outlet chamber, a valve closing chamber, a movable abutment between the outlet chamber and the valve closing chamber, an inlet valve between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, said valve opening toward the outlet chamberin response to the pressure in the inlet chamber, said valve being smaller in area than the movable abutment, means carried by the movable abutment to engage and close the inletvalve, a controlling chamber in communication with the It is also of great advantage to utilize train pipe air in the control- 1,162,383 Y Y v 8 outlet chamber, a double-seated pilot valve ling chamber, and a pressure device bearcontrolling two ports and adapted to be in% on the controlling abutment. 10 moved to one seat by the controlling dia- 11 testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my phragm and. to the other seat by pressure signature in the presence of two witnesses.

5 from the fluid inlet, said pilot valve con- SPENCER G. NEAL.

trolling communication between the inlet Witnesses: and the valve closing chamber-and between I G. O. PIERCE, the valve closing Chamber and the control- F. R. MILLER. 

